Must Try Dishes When Visiting Peru

One can’t deny that a highlight of exploring a country is trying the delicious food from that region. Peru in particular is known for its unique and tasty cuisine.

By Republic of Peru – Republica del Peru (National Emblems of Peru – National Flag (State)) [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsMy mother is peruvian (born and raised in Lima) so growing up I was introduced to many traditional peruvian dishes.

My mother(left) with a friend in Lima, PeruJessica’s mother at Machu Picchu

Must Try Dishes

If you find yourself in the beautiful country of Peru here are my mom’s suggestions of Must Try Dishes:

Ceviche (Cebice): One of the more famous south american dishes, ceviche is a must when visiting Peru. Made of marinated raw fish mixed with andean chillies, onion and lime, this traditional dish will leave your tastebuds wanting more.

Ceviche

Causa: This dish is served cold, generally as a starter and consists of mashed yellow potato with lime, onion, chilli and oil. Added to the mixture you can include avocado, chicken, tuna or hard boiled egg.

Anticuchos: A popular dish of the Incas, anticuchos are made from small pieces of grilled skewered meat (generally cow hearts). The modern recipe was influenced by the arrival of the spanish who brought with them ingredients such as garlic and other spices.

Papa a la huancaina: A salad made of boiled yellow potatoes and a spicy cream sauce. Usually served cold over lettuce and garnished with boiled eggs, black olives or white corn kernals.

Papa a la huancainaBy Feralbt (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)],via Wikimedia CommonsArroz con Pollo (rice with chicken): Although this dish is not unique to Peru (it can be found in Spain as well as other latin american countries) it is still popular. The main ingredients include saffron rice, chicken and vegetables.